Pontiac gets well-deserved credit for starting the muscle car craze with the legendary GTO in 1964. But the truth is that the carmaker started hinting at their “Excitement Division” moniker much earlier, with the launch of models like this 1961 Ventura Sport Coupe now for sale on eBay Motors.
Known today as a “Bubble Top,” the Ventura Sport Coupe was a one-year-only model. That makes examples like the one for sale a very rare find.
Eight Is Enough
Pontiac’s finned 8-lug wheels help reduce brake fade.
Adding to its desirability is a set of highly sought-after 8-lug wheels, a Pontiac exclusive that remained a popular option throughout the 1960s on full-size performance models. These distinctive wheels are not just gorgeous. Their finned design help dissipate heat to reduce brake fade.
Pontiac mated the eight-lug wheels with larger brake drums. That was a popular option for serious drivers before disc brakes were commonly available. Eight-lug Pontiacs were available through the end of the Sixties, and the attractive wheels are a hallmark of the marque.
The Bubble-Top Ventura: Glass And More Glass
Pontiac based the Ventura Sport Coupe on the redesigned 1961 Catalina. But the Bubble-top Ventura has extra flair via its stylish three-tone upholstery, custom steering wheel, and other niceties to differentiate it from its conservative siblings.
The new bubble top design, which featured ultra-thin pillars front and rear, is the model’s most distinctive feature. The bubble top lends a sleek, well-proportioned modern look to the Ventura and a bright and airy cockpit feel.
Compared to 1960 models, the Ventura Sport Coupe rode on a three-inch shorter wheelbase and trimmed four inches from the overall length, translating into a weight savings of about 200 pounds. The relative light weight, combined with a lineup of several potent 389-cubic-inch engines, helped make the Ventura a favorite of drag racers.
The Ventura made do without the added bling of the range-topping Bonneville, saving more weight. But it was by no means a stripped model. The use of chrome was relatively minimal by the standards of the time, but it’s still abundant.
The overall Bubble-Top Ventura look was stylish and relatively restrained, without the stripes or graphics of so many muscle cars that followed.
Beauty More Than Skin Deep
This Bubble Top Ventura looks much like it did in 1961 but hides a secret under the hood. The original engine was replaced with a more potent 421 cubic-inch V-8, matched with a four-speed manual transmission and floor shifter. The factory didn’t officially offer the 421 until 1962, but it looks at home here.
The seller mentions that the “car was from the Midwest, so it had very little rust.” Anyone turning a wrench in the region will get a chuckle out of that statement. Based on common experience, and the photos, high-quality rust repair was completed.
Wearing 70 percent of its original paint and with less than 75,000 miles showing on the odometer, this Ventura bubble top spent more than 40 years in storage and is ready to go. It has no apparent body damage and just enough patina to make it a daily driver or show car.
According to the seller, this Ventura is no trailer queen—although, based on its solid bones, it could become one if you like. On the other hand, half the joy of owning this classic would be experiencing it on the road.
